Particularly in the last decade, supplemental feeding of piglets with a liquid feed has become increasingly popular as a supplement to, or even as a replacement to, sow feeding. Supplemental feeding of piglets can be practiced in addition to sow feeding by isolating a liquid feeder away from the sow, and it has been found that with the aide of a liquid feeder piglets can be weaned as soon as two days after birth. Supplemental feeding has additionally proven to provide other potential benefits, such as production of stronger, healthier piglets of increased early weight, along with a reduced death rate.
There are presently cup-based liquid feeders available in the marketplace, use of which has demonstrated proven utility. Most such cup-based liquid feeders incorporate what is termed an Edstrom liquid feeder system. While performing the basic function required thereof, Edstrom liquid feeders demonstrate inefficiencies which innovation in system design could eliminate.